Folding table with enameled top



Jan. l, 1929.

. H. TURK FOLDING TABLE WITH ENAMELED Tor 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

Filed Nov. 26, 1926 H. TRK

` FOLDING TABLE WITH ENAMELED TOP l Fi1edNov.26. 1926 2 Sheng-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. l, i929.

STATES PATENT HEINRICH TRK, LUTHERVILLE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO .THE PORCELAIN ENAMEL .8c MANUFACTURING C0., OEBALTIMORE, MARYLAND,.A CORPORATION. OF

.MARYLAND.

FOLDING' TABLE .WITHV ENAMELED TOP.

y -ipplicationiiled Novembe1'-26,1926. seral'No. 150,813.

The invention relates to tablesand relates more particularly to oldingor n.collapsible lmetallic tables having porcelain lor other enameled metal tops.

The invention contemplates asa principal object the provi-sion .of va lportable metallic folding table ofimproved and artistic design and possessing structural features andnad vantages not hitherto obtained in similar articles. Theinvention further contemplates the provisionoi' a demountable and tolding table which may be conveniently assembled or dismantled and which is economical to manufacture. l/Vhen assembled the character of the supporting structure is such that exceeding strength. and rigidity is obtained notwithstanding the fact that sai-.d supporting structure is of comparatively light Weightiand constituted of yfevv parts.

A further object is to provide novel :and improved means lor removably securing the table top yto the leg-#supporting structure .in such manner that the top is rigidly maintained in position and yet may be conveniently removed by slight manual pressure exerted on the leg structure.

A further object is to provide a tabletop Which is stain and acid proof,-light Weight and of artistic linesand attractive appearance.

A further object is to provide folding table which may `be temporarily dismantled for transportation or storage Without `necessitating the complete separation o the parts, the structure-being such that the removal of certain of the fastening devices permits the leg` structure to'be folded upon itself Without requiring that the legs be separated one from another. ylhe manner of removably secur ing the top is such that the latter may he conveniently removed when desired Without necessitatingany adjustmentor dismantlingy of the leg or supporting structure.

Vith such objects in view, as Well as other advantages which may lbe 'incident to Ythen-se of the improvements, theinvention consistsin the parts and combinations thereof herein after set vforth and claimed, ywith the understanding that. the several necessary @elements constituting the same may be varied in proportionsand arrangement Without departing from the nature andscope of the inven tion. v

In order to make .the invention more clearly understood there arel shown yin the accompanying drawingsmeans `for carrying the same into practical effect., Withoutulimiting the improvements, in their useful l:applications, -to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have-been made .the subject :of illustration.

In said drawings:

llig, l lis a side elevation of folding or collapsible table constituting fa preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section online 3-#3 of Fig. l. Y

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view` of the table top.

Fig. 5 is a detail enlarged verticali-section on line -ffof Fig.^2.

Fig. 6 is a perspeetiveview :of the ,entire leg structure in oollapsedior folded position.

Referring to the drawings indicates the table top which is prei'erablyA formed ofdife pressed sheet metal having a continuous de pending yperipheral :or edge Vflange-i2. and in the vein-loodimentillustrated 4having. sanannular shoulder 3 -forming ,a slightlyv depressed central portion 4: of the table top proper. .It desired, the tabletop l .may be formed of .a castingwinstead of die pressed .or stamped sheet'metal. Ini-ts present form thewtable top is lillustrated .as round .and is linished *iny baked or hardened enamel. As an incidentfto the enameling process Woodxgrains arereproduced on the upper surface in simulation oi ya Wooden table top. to presentany attrae tive and decorative appearance. The Wood g-rainings reproduced as `an incident to thef enameling process are indicated at .5.

The table legs or supports are-shown at a6 and while the same may `also be cast if desired, are pneferably'fformed of pressed or' forged sheet metal or of` spring steel. Suitable floor engaging portions 6l are securedto or formed integrally Witlrsthe legs 16. rThe leg-snare or maybe three in: number andere spaced 4substantially; 120D kapart,around and beneath the tabletop. l/Vhen the table istassembled .the upper ends ot the leg` kniemhers kare engaged and retained-bythe inner surfaceof the .depending'flange 2 ot the :top to ymaintain the top infpositionby the friction resulting from the natural? springot the legsand their tendency to `spread outwardly. The eXtreme uppery :ends of the legs aresubstantially vertical as illustrated kand at :this kpoint f each lle-g is--provided with an outwardly projectingfrietion-pador rubber cushionfblock 7,'removably secured to the legv by means of a bolt or stud 7 having a countersunk head 7b and a nut 7 engaging its threaded inner end, said nut being designed to be drawn up to rigidly maintain the block in position. The blocks or cushions 7, assisted by the natural outward spring of the legs, provide an effect-ive rigid engagement between the top and the supporting structure, and when desired the top may be removed by pressing inwardly on the leg members to release the blocks from engagement with the flange 2 of the top. lf desired, and as a further means for maintaining the tabletop in engagement with tlie friction blocks carried by the leg structure, the lower portion of the depending peripheral or edge flange 2 of the top may be turned inwardly as at 2n (Fig. 5). The blocks are thereby securely maintained in position and the top is prevented from becoming disengaged from the leg structure or lifted upwardly without first pressing inwardly on the leg members to release one or more of the same from engagement with the table top. 1f desired, inwardly projecting studs may `be provided on the table top which are engaged by corresponding apertures provided in the upper ends of the legs to removably maintain the top in assembled position and against twisting or turning movement relative to the leg members.

1n order to firmly secure the leg structure in assembled position upper and lower eentrally and horizontally disposed plates orv spider members 8 and 9 are provided, each plate having a plurality of radially extending arms 8a, 9a corresponding in number to the table legs. As illustrated three such described arms 8a, 9"L are present and spaced substantially o from one another, each arm of the spiderl members having two or more spaced apertures 10. An intermediate link or brace member 11 is provided for each radially projecting arm of the upper spiderV member 8 and a corresponding brace member 12 is provided for each radially projecting arm of the lower spider member 9. The inner end of each brace member 11 is removably secured to its corresponding arm of the spider member 8 by means of bolts or other fastening means 13 passing through the apertures 10 of the spider member and through corresponding spaced apertures on the inner end of the brace member. The outer end of each brace member 11 is secured to one of the table legs 6 preferably by means of rivets 14 or other fastening means passing through properly located apertures in each table leg and registering with corresponding spaced apertures in the outer ends of the brace members 11. The inner end of each brace member 12 is removably secured to its corresponding arm of the lower spider member 9' by means of bolts or other fastening means 15 passing through the apertures 10 of the spider member and through corresponding spaced apertures on the inner end of the brace member. The outer end of each brace member 12 is removably secured to the lower portion of one of the table legs 6 preferably by means of rivets 16 or other fastening means passing through properly located apertures in each table leg and registering with corresponding spaced apertures in the outer ends of the lower brace member 12. Both the upper and lower sets of brace members 11 and 12 are disposed substantially in a horizontal plane when the table structure is assembled and serve to rigidly maintain the table legs intheir intended position spaced 120O from one another. The outer ends of the upper brace members 11 are curved upwardly to conform to the conliguration of and lie flat against the upper` portions of the legs 6, while the outer ends of the lower brace members 12 are curved in an opposite direction or downwardly to lie flat against the lower portions of said leg members adjacent their point of attachment.

The manner of completely assembling the table structure as the respective parts are taken from stock is thought to be clearly apparent from the described construction and arrangement of parts. Assuming the article to be in assembled position as illustrated in F ig. 1, the manner of temporarily dismantling the same for storing or transporting, without completely separating the parts, is very simple and convenient. The top is rst removed by springing the upper ends of the legs slightly inwardly to .disengage the blocks 't' from their frictional contact with the flange 2. The leg structure is next made to occupy a small space by removing the innermost bolt only of two of the upper and lower sets of fastenings 13 and 15, thereby permitting the two loosened legs or supports 6 to be folded against to lie closely on either side of the remaining leg as clearly illustrated in F ig. G. The structure is just as readily reassembled by replacing the nuts on the two bolts at the points described engaging the upper and lower spider members, and then replacing the top 1.

1n a preferred embodiment of the structure the fastening means 14 and 16 consist of rivets which permanently secure the outer ends of the upper and lower brace members to the legs. The fastening means 13 and 15 consist of bolts such as small stove bolts with their retaining nuts. This permits one of the bolts 13 and one of the bolts 15, connecting two or more of the leg members, to be conveniently removed so that the leg structure may be folded to occupy a small space as viewed in F ig. 6. The removed bolts may be just as conveniently replaced when it is desired to reassemble the table.

From the structure described it will be further apparent that extreme strength and rigidity are obtained despite the fact that companativel7 few parts oit' light weight metal are employed. By upwardly curving or inclining the outer ends oit the upper brace members where the same are secured to the leg members, and curving or inclining the outer ends of the lower brace members downwardly adjacent said leg members, an etlicient strain resisting trussed structure is obtained which resists to a high degree the stresses and load pressures to which tables of t-his character are likely to be subjected.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated a round table top is employed to cooperate with the folding leg struct-ure. ltwill7 however, be apparent that the. invention is not limited to a table top ol' round configuration, and il desired the top may be trian gular, oval, square or rectangular in shape. lt will be further appa-rent that, while three legs are illustrated in the present embodiment, the invention is designed to embrace folding lcg structure where tour legs are employed.

That is claimed is:

l. A folding table comprising a. sheet metal top having an integral depending peripheral flange, a supporting structure including independent leg members pivotally secured to one another, the upper ends ol' said leg members having spring engagement with the flangeo'li said top, whereby said top may be removed from said supporting structure by inward pressure on said leg members.

2. A.A folding metallic table comprising a sheet metal top having a depending peripheral tlange, a supporting structure including independent leg` members removably secured to one another and having their upper ends adapted to frictionally engage with spring pressure the .liange of said top, said structure further including upper and. lower plates, and a plurality of upper and lower brace menibers seoi'lred at their outer ends to said leg members andremovably secured at their inner ends to the arms of said plates. i

3. A folding metallic table comprising aV sheet metal top having a depending peripheral flange, a supporting structure including independent leg members removably secured to one another and having their upper ends adapted to rictionally engage with spring pressure the flange of said top, said structure further including upper and lower plates, and a plurality of upper and lower brace members secured at their outer ends to said leg members and pivotally -secured at their inner ends to said plates respectively the outer ends of said upper brace members being upwardly inclined to conform with and lie against said leg members and the outer ends of said lower brace members being downwardly inclined to conform with and lie against said leg members, whereby the table structure is strains and stresses.

e. A folding table comprising a sheet metal top having an integral depending peripheral flange, a folding supporting structure including independent leg members pivotally secured to one another, the upper ends of said leg members having an outward spring engagement with the llange of said top and cushion blocks secured to the leg members respectively and engaging said llange, whereby said top may be removed from said supporting structure by inward pressure on said leg members to release said cushion blocks from their spring engagement with said ilange.

5. A folding table comprising a sheet metal top having an integral depending peripheral flange, a top supportin i structure with which said top is designed to e engaged when the table is assembled, said structure consisting ont a plurality of leg members, centrally disposed superposed plate members and upper and lower intermediate brace members, the outer ends of said brace members being secured to said leg members and pivotally secured at their inner ends to said plate members, the upper ends of said leg members hav ing yieldable spring engagement with the liange or" said top, whereby the top may be removed from said supporting structure by inward movement of said leg members away from the top, all of the leg members being pivotally movable substantially about the central vertical axis of the table to lie against and coincide with one another, and `fastening means engaging said leg members and normally preventing said pivotal movement.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signature.

HEINRICH TRK.

reinforced kagainst vertical 

